Lorain County Community College 26th annual job fair (with video)

John Socha Jr., 16, and his father John Sr., speak with Lt. Col. Rollin Young, recruiter for West Point Military Academy. Young, an Army pilot for 12 years and current pilot for United Airlines said he connected with the 16-year-old, aspiring pilot.

ELYRIA — Hundreds converged on Lorain County Community College’s Ewing Activities Center for the 26th annual Lorain County College Fair Thursday evening.
Representatives from across the country were on hand to provide high school juniors and seniors, and their families, with information they needed to decide their first step of their collegiate journeys.
Nadia Leary, marketing recruitment specialist for the college said the event was offered to give area high school students a “taste of the college recruitment process.”
Leary said students were given the chance to meet with more than a hundred college and university representatives under one roof to ask any questions they may have about majors, admission requirements and programs of study.
“Students have a great shot to visit lots of colleges all in one place, and in one night,” Leary said. “Even though most information can be found online, it’s nice to put a face to a school, and to be able to get information you may not be able to get from their website.”
Josh Tomko, 17, a senior at North Ridgeville High School, attended the fair with his parents Maureen and Guy,
Tomko said he was hoping to gather as much information on psychology programs both out of state and closer to home, but wasn’t sure what school he would choose.
Tomko’s mother, Maureen, said she hopes her son will choose a school that allows him to stay closer to home because of the high costs associated with tuition and the college lifestyle.
“It’s expensive,” she said. “I know so many kids now who have a bachelor’s degree, and their working second jobs just to pay their student loan debt off. I think that he can get just as good of an education by going somewhere closer to home.”
John Socha Jr., 16, a junior at Firelands High School, and his parents John and Susan seemed to have a game plan together as they waited for the doors to open.
“Spread out,” his father said as people began filing into the gymnasium.
The Socha’s said their goal was to split up and gather as much information on the program that interests their son.
“He’s interested in aviation,” Socha’s mother said. “We need to get to the colleges that supply that, not just everyone.”
Socha, who plays baritone in his high school band, said he was “skipping” band practice to attend the fair.
Socha said he sees himself continuing to be a musician as more of a hobby and that his dream is to become a pilot.
“I’ve wanted to become a pilot since I was in third grade,” he said.
Socha said he planned on looking into programs at Kent State University, as well as the military.
“He knows what he wants to do, let’s see if we can make that dream come true,” Susan Socha said.